The present invention relates to a dubbing apparatus and a dubbing method. More particularly, the invention relates to a dubbing apparatus and a dubbing method designed for copyright protection using functions to manage program data to be dubbed.
In recent years, CD players for playing back CDs (compact discs) have come into general use. Concurrently gaining widespread acceptance are disc media such as Mini-disc (MD) to and from which audio data are recorded and reproduced, as well as recording and reproducing apparatuses for handling such disc media. Today, audio systems combining an MD recorder/player addressing the MD with a CD player are also receiving widespread use.
The MD recorder/player, CD player, and systems combining these devices manage audio data in units of so-called programs. In this specification, a program refers to a group of data recorded and managed as a data unit on the disc. Illustratively, one piece of music (generally known as a track) represents one program of audio data. In the description that follows, the words xe2x80x9cprogramsxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ctracksxe2x80x9d will be used interchangeably.
Audio systems of the above-described type are generally capable of what is known as dubbing recording, i.e., a procedure for recording audio data reproduced by a CD player onto an MD loaded in an MD recorder/player. Some systems are designed to offer so-called high-speed dubbing so as to shorten the time of dubbing recording.
In high-speed dubbing mode, the CD player controls its disc drive control portion and its reproduced signal processing portion in such a manner as to reproduce data from a CD at a predetermined multiple-fold speed, i.e., a speed multiplying a standard speed by a predetermined value. On the side of the MD recorder/player, its recording circuit portion is controlled to operate in keeping with the multiple-fold playback speed for the CD in question so as to receive audio data from the CD player for recording onto an MD.
Illustratively, for equipment combining a CD player (reproducing apparatus) integrally with an MD recorder/player (recording apparatus), it is easy to control the two devices concurrently at the predetermined multiple-fold speed for high-speed dubbing. If the recording apparatus is physically separated from the recording apparatus, the two may still be connected via a control cable or the like for interactive communication therebetween, whereby operations of the two devices are readily controlled in synchronism for high-speed dubbing.
Dubbing speeds are defined as follows: if it takes 74 minutes to dub the contents of a 74-minute-long CD onto an MD, the process is defined as standard-speed dubbing. If it takes 37 minutes to dub the 74-minute-long CD onto the MD, the process is defined as double-speed dubbing.
The act of dubbing involves duplicating copyrighted materials such as pieces of music and is thus regarded by those concerned as detrimental to copyright holders"" benefits. From their point of view, dubbing is an act that should be discouraged and if possible prohibited.
The fact is that there is widespread practice of dubbing at speeds higher than the standard speed. That means there have been trends toward greater numbers of pieces of music (tracks) dubbed per unit time at higher speeds than at the standard speed.
Suppose that a user intends to copy one CD or one of the pieces of music (tracks) on the CD onto MDs (or like storage medium) which are so numerous that they exceed the reasonably expected range of personal use, and that the user plans to sell the multiplied MDs containing the same contents to third parties.
In that case, if the user employs a high-speed dubbing function to copy pieces of music (tracks) to MDs at a higher speed, the MDs will be prepared more efficiently than if the copying is done at the standard speed. That is, the high-speed dubbing function can encourage an infringement of copyrights.
Under such circumstances, a standard called HCMS (High-speed Copy Management System) has been proposed. HCMS stipulates that when digital sound sources such as a CD are recorded at high speed to storage media such as MDs, any one track (piece of music) once dubbed at high speed is to be inhibited from being dubbed again at high speed for at least 74 minutes starting from the time the track in question began to be dubbed at high speed. The high-speed dubbing inhibited time is set for 74 minutes because the maximum playback time of a CD is nominally 74 minutes. In other words, high-speed dubbing is suppressed during the period of time required normally to play back an entire CD. This measure is designed to keep the efficiency of dubbing per track substantially at the same level as in standard-speed dubbing. If dubbing apparatuses have an HCMS-compatible structure restricting high-speed dubbing as described, they can be employed by users dubbing desired recordings without infringing on copyrights. As long as relevant HCMS provisions are observed, the other specifications of apparatuses equipped with the dubbing function may be determined as desired. The 74-minute dubbing-restricted period may be varied if necessary.
On every dubbing apparatus subject to HCMS restrictions on high-speed dubbing, any track on a CD is thus barred from getting dubbed at high speed regardless of attempts at such recording, until the obligatory 74 minutes elapse following the most recent dubbing of the same track.
Where general users are immersed in dubbing a number of tracks on CDs over a short period of time, they cannot be expected always to remember clearly which track (piece of music) on which CD was recorded exactly how many minutes ago.
Suppose now that an attempt to dub a given track (piece of music, currently subject to restrictions on high-speed dubbing) is simply rejected, with no explanation provided to remind the user of the temporary injunction against high-speed dubbing. This may have the user worried or even distrustful of normal functioning of the apparatus.
What is thus preferred is a dubbing apparatus which, equipped with a function for restricting high-speed dubbing under HCMS provisions, is capable of notifying the user how the dubbing process is currently managed. Such an apparatus is more convenient for the user in dubbing situations than its conventional counterparts.
In solving the foregoing and other problems of the related art and according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a dubbing apparatus for dubbing programs from a first storage medium onto a second storage medium, the dubbing apparatus comprising: a clocking element for starting to clock the time when a program held on the first storage medium starts being dubbed onto the second storage medium at a high speed over a period shorter than an actual playback time; a storing element for storing the times clocked by the clocking element regarding individual programs held on the first storage medium; an operating element for selecting any one of high-speed dubbing and standard-speed dubbing; a judging element which, if the operating element selects high-speed dubbing of a given program held on the first storage medium, then judges whether the clocked time regarding the program in question exceeds a predetermined time period; a controlling element for permitting high-speed dubbing if the judging element judges the clocked time regarding the program in question to have exceeded the predetermined time period, the controlling element further inhibiting high-speed dubbing if the judging element judges the clocked time regarding the program in question not to have exceeded the predetermined time period; and a displaying element for indicating that high-speed dubbing is inhibited when the judging element has judged the clocked time regarding the program in question not to have exceeded the predetermined time period.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a dubbing method for inhibiting high-speed dubbing for a first predetermined time period if, at a time of high-speed dubbing of a program from a first storage medium onto a second storage medium over a period shorter than an actual playback time, the first storage medium is found to have been subjected to high-speed dubbing earlier by a second predetermined time period, the dubbing method comprising the steps of: firstly judging whether high-speed dubbing of the program in question from the first storage medium onto the second storage medium is designated; if high-speed dubbing of the program from the first storage medium onto the second storage medium is judged designated in the first judging step, then secondly judging whether the program held on the first storage medium was subjected to high-speed dubbing the second predetermined time period earlier; if the program held on the first storage medium is judged in the second judging step to have been subjected to high-speed dubbing the second predetermined time period earlier, then inhibiting high-speed dubbing of the program over the first predetermined time period; and indicating that high-speed dubbing of the program is being inhibited.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following description and appended drawings.